* The second ordinary session of the 10th Lao National Assembly concluded on Wednesday with lawmakers approving key government reports, as well as eight draft laws aimed at strengthening governance and modernizing the country's legal framework.
* The Croatian parliament on Wednesday rejected an opposition motion to remove Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic from office over the illegal dumping of hazardous waste in central Croatia.
* New Zealand's voter enrollment rate remained below the level recorded at the last general election in 2023, with three days left before the deadline to enroll, according to figures released by the Electoral Commission on Thursday. As of Wednesday, 3,729,667 people were enrolled to vote in the Nov. 7 general election, representing 92.1 percent of the estimated eligible population of 4,051,640, the commission said in a statement.
* Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Wednesday that against the backdrop of a continuously evolving and complex international situation, China and Russia have maintained close coordination, serving as a valuable force for stability in a world marked by turbulence and transformation. Li made the remarks when meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.
* The U.S. State Department on Wednesday ordered non-emergency U.S. government staff and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks intensify. The ordered departure applies only to Saudi Arabia, not to other countries in the Middle East region, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott later clarified on X.
* The Republic of Korea urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Thursday to build communication channels to prevent any accidental clashes along the inter-Korean border.
* Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan strive to increase bilateral trade turnover to 10 billion USD, Kazakhstan's Finance Minister Madi Takiyev said Wednesday.
* Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Wednesday jointly announced a series of strategic industry support initiatives aimed at supporting workers and businesses impacted by U.S. tariffs and driving long-term economic growth.
* Two people were killed and 34 others were injured in Russian drone and missile attacks across Ukraine overnight into Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Twelve Ukrainian regions came under Russian strikes, Zelensky said, adding that Kiev was targeted by 21 ballistic missiles launched in three waves.
* Russia and Ukraine conducted another exchange of killed soldiers on the border between Ukraine and Belarus on Thursday, BelTA news agency reported.
* Speaking after a security council meeting on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that the government recommends that no demonstrations be held across the country in the coming days, particularly on Saturday.
* China on Thursday unveiled revised administrative measures for outbound investment, aiming to provide stronger institutional safeguards for its development and security. The measures, released by the National Development and Reform Commission, China's top economic planner, will take effect on Dec. 1, 2026, replacing the existing rules enacted in 2017.
* Laos has launched Lao Digital Week 2026, highlighting the country's efforts to accelerate digital transformation and lay a strong foundation for the sustainable development of its digital economy and society.
* Cambodia officially launched its 2026-2030 National Strategy on Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) on Thursday, positioning the sector as a primary engine for long-term economic growth and social progress.
* Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said Thursday that the government would revoke the business licenses of foreign-owned companies found to have repeatedly violated regulations and contributed to forest and land fires.
* Students, teachers, civil servants and pensioners staged protests across Greece on Wednesday, calling for increased funding for public education and healthcare, higher wages and pensions, and measures to ease the rising cost of living. In Athens, approximately 10,000 people marched to the parliament, according to national broadcaster ERT.
* Russia is ready to resume trilateral talks with the United States and Ukraine in mid-November, focusing on establishing a security system for Russia and Ukraine after the conflict ends, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said Wednesday.
* The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Latvia's Charge d'Affaires in Moscow, Ramona Krasovska, over Latvia's demand to dismiss all staff at the social welfare section of the consular department of the Russian Embassy in Riga, the capital of Latvia.
* Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would agree to a peace deal with Russia that would freeze the conflict along the current frontline, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported Wednesday.
* Portuguese President Antonio Jose Seguro on Wednesday invited all parliamentary parties to talks on social cohesion at the Belem Palace on Oct. 29, amid ongoing protests over housing issues across the country.
* The first tanker carrying 40,000 tons of Russian diesel fuel will depart in two to three days, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday. Russia is currently preparing shipments of several tankers carrying diesel fuel, Putin said during his meeting with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff at the Konstantinovsky Palace in St. Petersburg.
* India and Poland on Thursday vowed to double their bilateral trade by 2030, and decided to establish a Defense Industry Dialogue and a dialogue on Counter-Terrorism.
* Cambodia and Nicaragua have pledged to enhance bilateral cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to promoting regional and global peace, stability, and development, according to a press release from Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on Thursday.
* Azerbaijan's Cabinet of Ministers announced on Thursday the approval of a long-term low-carbon development strategy that sets a conditional target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2060.
* Indonesia aims to attract 19.1 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2027, up from a target of 16 million to 17.6 million in 2026, as the government seeks to boost tourism revenue through the development of six tourism-focused special economic zones (SEZs), a senior minister said Wednesday.
* The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a 100 million USD program to strengthen social protection, economic inclusion, and well-being and resilience among the poor and elderly in Sri Lanka, according to a press release.
* Türkiye's central bank cut its benchmark policy rate by 100 basis points to 36 percent on Thursday, resuming monetary easing for the first time since January as inflation continued to cool. The latest cut follows a previous 100-basis-point cut to 37 percent earlier this year.
* Over 1,200 delegates representing more than 20 countries, the United Nations, the diplomatic corps, and civil society gathered in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Wednesday for the opening of a three-day Global Trust Summit aimed at rebuilding public confidence in governance.
* Saudi Arabia held separate high-level talks in Riyadh on Wednesday with the visiting French president and Jordanian foreign minister to review bilateral strategic ties and regional developments.
* Palestinian officials and economic experts warned Thursday that the food crisis in the Gaza Strip was worsening, citing Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid and commercial goods, shortages of essential commodities and the closure of most bakeries.
* Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei met with Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf on Wednesday to review the latest developments surrounding the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran and discuss ways to bolster national resilience, according to a statement published on the leader's website.
* The navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said Thursday that it had struck four "violating" ships in the Persian Gulf in recent hours, while three other "offending" vessels exploded after hitting naval mines west of the Strait of Hormuz Wednesday night.
* Yemen's Houthi group intensified attacks on the government-held southeastern province of Hadramout on Wednesday, launching drones and ballistic missiles toward a key oil export terminal and the province's main airport, a local security official told Xinhua.
* The first edition of Transport Expo Asia (TXA) 2026 concluded on Wednesday with 17 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and agreements involving the rail, road and maritime sectors.
* The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday warned that the ongoing Ebola outbreak has become a regional public health concern, calling for urgent collective action as infections spread across Central, Eastern and Western Africa.
* French health authorities announced Thursday the world's first documented case of human infection with the Shamonda virus. The patient died in early October. No health risk to the general population has been identified to date.
